St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate Church
| St Swithun upon Kingsgate | |
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St Swithun upon Kingsgate
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| 51°3′33″N 1°18′52″W / 51.05917°N 1.31444°WCoordinates: 51°3′33″N 1°18′52″W / 51.05917°N 1.31444°W | |
| Location | Kingsgate, Winchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Unknown |
| Style | Early English |
| Years built | Thirteenth Century |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Lawrence with St Swithun |
St Swithun upon Kingsgate is a Church of England church in Winchester, Hampshire, England, built in the Middle Ages in the Early English style. Located above the medieval Kingsgate, one of the principal entrances to the city, the church is unusual in forming a part of the fabric of the old city walls. St Swithun's first appears in 13th century records, and under the fictional name of St Cuthbert's, is mentioned in Anthony Trollope's novel The Warden.
The first mention of the church is recorded in 1264, when it was apparently burned by the citizens of Winchester during a dispute with the Priory. Most likely the church served as a chapel for lay people who worked for the Abbey. In 1337 some woodwork was done on the church, costing a total of fifteen shillings, and in 1484 the windows underwent repair.
St Swithun was an Anglo Saxon saint, born in Winchester and in 852 becoming the 19th bishop of the city. He died in 862 when King Alfred the Great was still a young man. It is possible that St Swithun was tutor to the young king, and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to Rome.
According to legend, St Swithun has a special association with the English weather, a legend which dates from July 971 when the bones of the saint were moved from outside the old Saxon cathedral and brought inside the building, apparently causing a great thunderstorm:
St Swithun's Day is celebrated on July 15.
In 1538 the Shrine of St Swithun in Winchester Cathedral was destroyed, and in 1539 the monastery was dissolved. St Swithun upon Kingsgate became a parish church. The East wall niche, which today lies empty, most likely once held a statue of St Swithun, which was probably destroyed at this time.
By the 17th century the church had fallen into disrepair, and had become home to one Robert Allen, the porter of Kings Gate, and his wife, "who did and doth keep swine at ye ende of the Chapell". The situation was improved around 1660 when the church was restored, its bells re-hung in 1677. It has remained a place of worship since that time.
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Wikipedia